Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven – Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar – In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and brown sugar together on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. The mixture should be pale and airy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add Egg and Molasses – Beat in the egg until fully incorporated, then add the molasses. Mix on medium speed until smooth and well combined. The mixture will look slightly curdled—this is normal! Scrape down the bowl to ensure everything is mixed.
- Combine Wet and Dry – With the mixer on low speed (or using a wooden spoon), gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until no flour streaks remain and the dough comes together. Don’t overmix! The dough will be soft, slightly sticky, and very aromatic.
- Prepare Rolling Sugar – Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Shape the Cookies – Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball between your palms. Roll the dough ball generously in the granulated sugar, coating it completely. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Space Properly – Continue rolling and coating dough balls, placing them about 2.5 inches apart on the baking sheets. They will spread during baking. You should get about 12 cookies per sheet.
- Bake – Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the cookies have spread, crackled on top, and the edges look set but the centers still appear slightly soft and puffy. Do not overbake! The cookies will look underdone but will continue to set as they cool.
- Cool on Pan – Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. They will be very soft and delicate when hot. After 5 minutes, carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
- Complete Cooling – Let the cookies cool completely on the rack. As they cool, they’ll firm up slightly while maintaining that soft, chewy texture.
- Store and Enjoy – Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days. Enjoy with milk, coffee, or tea!
Notes
- Don’t Overbake – This is crucial! Molasses cookies should look slightly underdone when you remove them. They’ll look puffy and soft in the centers—perfect! They’ll firm up as they cool to that ideal chewy texture.
- Room Temperature Ingredients – Softened butter and room temperature egg incorporate more easily and create better texture.
- Molasses Type Matters – Use unsulphured “original” or “full flavor” molasses. Avoid blackstrap molasses as it’s too bitter for cookies.
- Measuring Flour Correctly – Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level off. Don’t scoop directly from the bag or you’ll use too much, making dry cookies.
- Uniform Size – Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies that bake at the same rate.
- Fresh Spices – Check your spice dates! Old spices lose potency and won’t flavor your cookies properly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desert
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 125mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 23mg